Gracie Klingbeil’s “After We’re Gone” - 2025 Finalist

Gracie Klingbeil’s “After We’re Gone” 
Alternative/New Media: ink on paper 
Bloomington, IN 

After We’re Gone explores humanity’s environmental impact and the destructive habits driving us toward our own demise amidst the climate crisis. This illustrated futuristic vision warns of the consequences we face if we continue on our current path. Devoid of color, the black and white subject matter symbolizes how human actions are draining the Earth of its vibrancy— destroying coral reefs, depleting natural resources, and waging wars that further damage the environment. Scattered human bones, teeth, and symbols of addiction serve as ominous reminders that we reap what we sow. The gold-inked background critiques the environmental degradation caused by the gold mining industry, including water pollution, deforestation, and soil erosion. As biodiversity declines and our carbon footprint grows, the window for change is rapidly closing. After We’re Gone instills a sense of urgency, depicting a society digging its own grave while nature, in the end, will endure. The earth existed long before us and will persist long after—we must decide whether to alter our course and work toward a sustainable future or remain complacent and make this bleak vision a reality. Our present actions shape future consequences, and it is up to us to repair the destruction we have caused.